Spring has finally come to Binghamton and the students have the tan lines and flip flops to prove it. As the weather warms up and the school year winds down, it’s time for Spring Fling at Binghamton University.

Spring Fling, organized by the Student Association, is Saturday, May 2. BU’s annual carnival will be host to Rookie of the Year and Eve 6 and sideshow performer, Todd Robbins. The festivities begin in the morning and last until the concert’s curtain call.

Sixty student groups are participating in the Fling Saturday — 20 more than last year — meaning more free food and games throughout the day than ever. The Student Association is anticipating the biggest and best Spring Fling BU has ever seen.

Sara Parrish, a Student Association representative, assures that the event will not disappoint.

“It’s going to be bigger than any other year,” she said. “There are a lot of fun and interesting new features this year. It’s going to be huge, extending from the Student Wing all the way down to the Engineering Building.”

“Try My Forbidden Fruit” is the theme of the day to put everyone in the Garden-of-Eden mood for the headliner of the night, Eve 6. The band will be going on at 8 p.m. after Rookie of the Year, an indie band from North Carolina. The shows kick off the evening at 6 p.m.

In addition to the musical entertainment, Todd Robbins, one of America’s premiere sideshow artists, will be performing several acts throughout the day. He will be eating fire, walking on broken glass, swallowing swords and eating light bulbs, among other things.

Aside from his 40-minute shows Robbins will also be walking around and talking with students in line for the rides, providing much needed entertainment in the lines that have been known to get pretty long in previous years.

Even though the main event doesn’t start until later, there will be plenty of live entertainment going on throughout the day.

In addition to WHRW providing the event with music, student bands will be playing on the main stage. A cappella, comedy and dance groups will be performing as well.

The Fling is known for its carnival rides and this year, the ever-popular Pirate Ship will be back along with the Sizzler, the Sidewinder and the Round Up. All rides are free and can be ridden as many times as you want — provided your stomach can handle it.

Mike Cruz, a sophomore nursing major, attended Spring Fling last year and had a great time. He said it was fun to spend time in the sun with friends and is looking forward to it this year.

“There was good music, fun games and great weather,” Cruz said. “The rides had long lines, but were still well worth it because you were hanging out in the great sun with all your best friends, eating fried dough and fried Oreos.”

Some other highlights for the day include the inflatables — Titanic slide, obstacle course, rock wall, bungee run, etc. — free food for BU students catered by Sodexo, carnival games and treats, caricature artists and air brush tattoos.

The pre-vet society is bringing a live bearcat to campus — Baxter, take notice.

Anyone who has ever dreamed of taking a baseball bat to a windshield will finally be able to see this dream realized when the Inter-Fraternity Council hosts a car smash. They are bringing an old, broken down car and a baseball bat to the Fling and letting students blow off all of the pent-up rage and hostility that comes with studying for finals.

If anything, the Fling will be a good break from school, Parrish said.

“It’s the biggest event the University has,” she said. “It’s going to be a relaxing time where you can hang out with friends and eat good food. You shouldn’t miss it — the Spring Fling is going to be guaranteed fun.”